Eiffel Tower ATC Swap

Yes, more Marie Antoinette art. I love this group that I am with. We did an ATC swap and these are the cards that I made. It is odd that something so small can cause me so much stress. I am still so new to creating ATCs and trying to do something small is a challenge for me. I really love how they turned out though and I especially loved the ATCs I received. I need to take some pixs to share.

I was flipping through the channels this morn while having my morning cupS of joe and came upon an old black and white Marie Antoinette movie. It was so sad, and then I felt guilty for making this art using her image when she was beheaded and went through all that she did. I don't ever think about what happened in history while creating Marie art but when I do, I feel badly for her. She was so young when she married and then to have her husband beheaded and her son taken away, I just couldn't imagine how painful that was for her. Okay, enough sad... I have more Marie art to create!

Have a great day!

What an odd comment! Guess that's why they made "comment moderation".

Thank you Robin for bringing that odd comment to my attention. I don't know how on earth I missed it because I always receive an email that lets me know when I receive a comment. Lucky for me, I was able to figure out how to delete it. To any of you that saw it before me, I apologize for missing it. Have a great week and may no one leave odd comments on your posts!

Rebecca's Giveaway

I was just visiting a fellow artists blog because she is participating in a swap I am hosting through the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. It is a 4 x 4 book swap and her pages arrived today. They were gorgeous! She is having a fantastic giveaway on her blog so be sure to visit quickly for your chance to win. You can find her at Rebecca Rose Designs. Be sure to tell her I sent you- thanks! Even if you don't win, you will be glad that you paid her a visit! Have a great weekend!

I Did Not Fall Off The Face of The Earth!

I know, I know.... the whole "blogging without obligation thing". I shouldn't feel guilty about my lack of posts. But I am feeling pretty lame at the moment. I have so many things I need to share like projects, treasure finds, and adventures. I need to update my page and badges, etc. I don't know what my problem is. Maybe it is just because it is summer and I am outside so much. Maybe it is because I have a computer that I use in my studio that is upstairs now, and my old computer that I download my pictures on is downstairs. I have to fix that. Maybe it is because I have been organizing the house too much, getting rid of all of the extra stuff and painting. In fact, I am repainting many of the rooms in the house (downstairs living, kitchen, entry, oldest daughter's bedroom and guest bedroom). But life is good, the girls are doing well, the husband is his usual busy self but well, Mom's health is good (yearly mammogram came out A OK, thank you God), and I am feeling much better. No being in a "funk". So, consider this a hello, hope you are all having a great summer and I will share some treasures from a recent shopping spree in the next few days! Have a great night and if you are on my end of the states where it is raining buckets, stay dry!

More Pages For Marie Round Robin

Here are my pages for Becky's book. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Speaking of Dolls... How about a haunted one?

While wasting time on ebay, which I way too often do, I came across this "haunted" doll. And oddly, I'm considering a bid. It isn't the first time I have seen such things on ebay. Many have had listings for dolls that contained "spirits" or had once belonged to a "witch". And you know what is even wilder? These people have feedback for other haunted items they have sold. Feedback from very happy customers who love their "haunted" item. I just don't know. I believe in ghosts and the paranormal. Heck, I even believe some that call themselves "witches" (but not the goth want to be bad ones) but haunted dolls? As the ghost hunter that I am, wanting to rush to tell all of the spirits to "go to the light and be at peace", I say let the poor spirit be. Tell whatever it is to move on and be at peace. Below are some pictures and the description.

BABY DOLL
This very unique doll is super active. My stepdaughter bought her many years ago at an estate sale in Alabama. She was in a cedar chest for many years. This February, she came across the doll while she was moving and placed her on a bookshelf in her bedroom. At night, she would wake to the sounds of a baby crying and would get up and check on her two children (13 and 9) only to find them sleeping peacefully. She realized that the sounds were coming from the area where she had displayed the doll. She then put the doll in the living room behind some other dolls but each day, the doll would be in front of the others. After my grandchildren told her that the doll was making noise and creeped them out, she decided to find a new home for the doll. She was walking from the kitchen into the living room and telling her daughter that she was giving the doll away, the doll fell off of the shelf and her living room curtains (secure on a rod that snapped into a bracket), jumped up and fell to the floor. She thought it was just a coincidence but decided to put the doll back into the cedar chest until she found a home for her. Later that week, I was visiting her and she asked if I would take the doll. Her son brought the doll to me and even though the house was very cold, the doll felt like a fevered baby. When I left with the baby, she remarked to her children that she was glad to have it out of the house. Just then, the living room curtain on the other window jumped up and fell to the floor.
I have been working with this doll for months and have heard babies crying at least twice a week. We have also noticed things in the house have gone missing only to show up a few days later in odd places. The doll is solid porcelain which is usually cool or cold to the touch but this baby always feels very warm. Her head is hollow and her little puckered mouth is slightly opened. Her eyes close and open. She has on a beautiful christening gown and little cap. There is a little discoloration on her dress but I believe it can be cleaned. She is approximately 10 inches tall. This is the most special doll I have ever encountered. I would like to keep her for myself but my husband (the big baby) is spooked by her and wants her out of the house. I have not heard a name from her but I keep dreaming of the name "Annabelle" so that is what I call her.

What do you think?

I Want These

Could someone please go on ebay and win these for me? Could you imagine using these in your artwork? You could even just mount them onto, whatever, and it would be beautiful as is.

I have NEVER been into dolls. My mom collected dolls and had them in the china cabinets when I was growing up. Of course, now, I can appreciate some of them. But she had some that used to give me the major hee-be-gee-bees (spell?). She had one that looked so real and my friends and I would swear that it's eyes would follow us around the room. It didn't help that our old Victorian home was haunted either. And when the telephone was located in that room it REALLY bothered me. But not enough, as a teenager, to not use the phone for hours at a time. And it wasn't even a cordless phone. I sat in one spot blabbing. I could never do that now and do not own anything but cordless phones.

Can you tell I am starting to feel like my old self, with the way I keep going from one topic to another?

Any who...... I love this set for sale on ebay. I recently purchased an antique frozen Charlotte doll and an antique German doll head from Retro Cafe' Art , as well as some other fabulous goodies. Kristin has some of the most amazing items for using in altered art. I have them safely tucked away at the moment, but one day will use them. I really want to get some more though. They are just so interesting, don't cha think?

I'd love to hear about what vintage goodies you like to collect or use in your art. Leave a comment, pretty please, and let me know. Hope you are finding wonderful treasures this week!

Things Are Getting Back To Normal

I once had someone tell me that they loved reading my blog and the many adventures that I wrote about. I feel like I have lost that person in recent months, but I think she might be coming back now.

I am feeling much, much better and I just want to thank all of you for your comments and for all of the support that my many blogging friends have given me. It means the world to me and just proves again why this blogging world can be so rewarding.

Many of you have asked about mom. She is doing well, although she is nervous about her upcoming mammogram. It's been a year since she was diagnosed with breast cancer but we are so blessed that it was caught early and she made it out of a tough situation. I just pray that the cancer stays away. On that note, remember to check the girls! EARLY DETECTION IS SO IMPORTANT! And if you haven't had a mammogram yet then please do. It really is no biggy and I am getting ready to schedule my second one. (You are reading this for a reason. There is no such thing as a coincidence).

My amazing husband is busy, busy, busy, as usual. But after his current project, he will hopefully be able to take some time off so that we can go somewhere for some sun and fun. He also has to schedule his leg procedure and we will just have to pray that everything goes okay. If we could only get him "out of the weeds"!

My oldest is doing SO MUCH BETTER! The Psychologist will be meeting with the school to let them know all about her little mind and how it works. She is such a smart little booger. It will be nice to have things modified for her in the classroom. It just goes to show that those standardized tests don't really tell you anything about a child. And as a former teacher, it is so hard for me not to look at what schools do and wonder why so many are completely clueless. I'm blessed that I have found what works for my girl.

I think one of the hardest things I have had to deal with concerning her ADHD is her behavior. Oh my gosh! It was really bad there for a while and SO HARD for me to remain calm during her fits. But I have been reading up on things and recreated an old technique I used in my classroom years ago. It is like night and day in just over a week. Now it is my youngest that is not making good choices. But she is also at an age where she is testing us. Her biggest thing is just not doing what she is told. But even she is getting better.

It's funny how life works sometimes. The things I studied in school are the things that I am dealing with in life. And what I used to think I knew about kids before I had kids, is completely different.

So, off to finish some long over due work in the yard. It's a jungle out there! Have a great afternoon and I will be back soon to share some more art and stories!

More Pages - Travel Round Robin

Here are the pages that I made for Priscilla's book. I love working with this amazing group of gals (see earlier posts). I bet you can't guess what location I am doing in everyone's book?